A love letter is the most intimate correspondence a person can receive. Within its lines, secret desires are revealed, promises given, and fond memories recalled. Written in elegant script on scented stationary or scrawled haphazardly on a scrap of paper, mailed from across the seas, hidden in a bouquet of roses, or tucked between the pages of a favorite book, a love letter is to be cherished always.

Love letters are precious reminders of heart-felt sentiments. They may bring encouragement and reassurance to the pining heart, as in “We’ll be together soon.” Or, they may be simple reminders, “I’m thinking about you. You make me smile.”

Whatever their purpose, love letters are received with joy and anticipation, then saved in special places – a dresser drawer, under a mattress, ribbon-tied in a hope chest, or secreted away in a quiet corner. They are kept to be lovingly read again and again.

Over time, letters may become worn and tear-stained, but the meaning of their words remain as true as the day they were written.

Long after lovers are gone, their letters live on.

Within the pages of great poetry are some of the most passionate, poetic, and poignant love letters that have ever been written, read, reread, treasured, and saved forever. Their words echo through the chambers of our hearts. They are intimate yet universal sentiments to be celebrated and shared with the one you love.

Perhaps reading a few select poems will motivate you to write your own love letters. And even though you may lack the same expressiveness, remember, if you are thoughtful and sincere, no words can capture another heart as much as those of your own.

Relationships do not just happen, they have to be made. Made to start, made to work, made to develop, kept in good working order, and preserved from going sour. An insightful couple will recognize this and lovingly express their feelings openly and often. Yet no words can be spoken truer than when you write, “I love you” in a personally composed letter; even if your beloved is just footsteps away. Do not our most intimate of all companions deserve this special attention? After all, who beside these walk alongside us on the journey of life, and encourage us as we explore our likes and dislikes, weaknesses and strengths, fears and triumphs, hopes and dreams? These are more than familiar faces. These are cherished souls.

A close relationship may at times seem as fragile as a strand of thread. Yet one thread is all that a surgeon needs for the most delicate surgery. So, too, a single letter from a dear one, can heal a broken heart.

An enduring relationship is the most wonderful possession you can have, and those who seek ways to maintain their love will find a mighty power that enlarges their own life and the lives of their adored.

For those just starting their journey together, I encourage you to remember that an amazing transformation can occur when exchanging devotion through the passages in a love letter. Hidden treasures are uncovered, intimacy is born, trust develops, love grows, contentment abounds.

There’s great happiness in little things, and this is such a simple gesture. The more often you disclose the content of your heart, the more loved you will become.